


I've Just Seen a Face...

by Memetots



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Anyways, F/F, F/M, ive tried to write this, reader is gender ambiguous yay, third times the charm, three times im dead
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-09
Updated: 2016-06-27
Packaged: 2018-04-30 19:52:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 7,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5177627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Memetots/pseuds/Memetots
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You fell.<br/>You died.<br/>Your soul fled.<br/>Your soul formed into a ghost that looked just like you, and now... Now you were alone.<br/>You'd been alone for centuries, this was no issue. But now, a certain punny skeleton was trying to pry into your past. Couldn't you be alone one day more?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Poser

**Author's Note:**

> im so sick and tired of writing this fic anyways hey im trash this is trash im in the trashcan feel free to visit it any time.  
> anyways this chapter is gonna be super short just so i can see who's interested and if its worth continuing k thanks bye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the Underground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im still trash but i updated this because i hated it

_It started when you were sixteen. You were finally able to drive, and drive you did._   
_Right into a telephone pole._

_You were not a model child. Your parents considered you to be a heathen, and you were fine with that. You weren’t the best, not at all, but all that mattered was that you had fun. You were awesome, and you wanted to show the world that. So, one day, you set off into the mountains, looking for adventure. The air was chilly and your spirits were high as you made the trek upwards. The mountain was abandoned, and there had been rumors that those who left never returned. Did you care? Nah, not really. You’d brought chips and candy and stuff to drink, you were pretty pleased with how this adventure was going. Hours and hours passed._   
_And when finally, you thought you'd reached the top -_

_You were falling._

_You fell through the hole of legends, and hit the ground, bones cracking as you thumped against... something. Upon closer inspection, you realized you were laying in a field of beautiful, golden flowers. You’d always loved flowers, and yet, you could not appreciate their beauty, because your first thought was that you couldn't move._

 

* * *

 

 

You groaned, your head hurt. These memories of when you fell to the Underground were hazy, and difficult to think about. It'd been about ten years since the day you fell, and despite this you didn't look a day over eighteen. You called it a perpetually youthful glow, but the truth was… well. You couldn't place the details of that day, but you knew a few things. You fell. Something murdered you, in your helpless state. Your soul - at the time, a pink, glowing heart - fled the area. You arrived in a snowy forest you’d never seen before, and eventually, your soul formed into... this.

A humanoid ghost body, which looked exactly like you thought you'd look like as an adult. With a few minor improvements, of course. A “better” body (which actually wasn’t better at all, but you liked to think it was). Better hair. Cute freckles. Stuff you’d wanted in life, you now had.

You'd taken refuge in a gorgeous, snowy forest called Snowdin. You couldn't feel the cold anymore, on account of you not really having a body. It was perfect, and people almost never passed through where you were, since it was cold and fairly out of the way. You lived in solitude for ten years, never thinking about how your family might be doing without you, or what it might be like to meet a friend in this quiet forest.

One day, as you were lounging around, absolutely not thinking these things, you heard something new. Something weird.

Footsteps.

You jumped, looking around. Footsteps?! Footsteps! Someone was here! Nobody ever came this way, why was someone here?! Were you excited? Scared? You poked your head out the trees -

And found two skeletons, one tall and one short, staring up at you. You didn’t take in their appearances at the time, too completely afraid and/or excited about the appearance of people. Actual people!

 

"OH MY GOD!! SANS!!" The tall one looked at you as if you were a cake he’d been desperately wanting to eat.

...Ah. You missed cake. You didn’t have the need to eat now, not that you had the money to anyways.

"IS THAT... A HUMAN?!"

 

"sure looks like it, bro." The shorter one was grinning ear-to-ear.

Er, well. Skeletons didn't have ears, but you were unsure how else to describe it.

 

You froze up. What did you say to this-? You technically weren't human anymore, and could easily pose as a monster. That'd keep you from getting captured, or whatever they wanted to do to you.

That, or you could pose as a human, and maybe they wouldn't care.

After a bit of thought, you took a deep breath and spoke.

 

"I'm not human, sorry to disappoint... I'm a ghost monster." You jumped down from the trees to face them, "I just look human, see?"

And just like that, you started glowing a vibrant pink. It was a cool little thing you could do, and it certainly was convincing. Though you were humanoid, surely some ghost monsters looked slightly human.

 

"AH!" The taller one cackled, and looked down at you. "ARE YOU LOST? FRET NOT, FRIEND! FOR I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL LET YOU COME BACK TO SNOWDIN WITH US!"  
  
...The Great Papyrus?

 

"you can crash on our couch or something." This seemed like a strange gesture from people who didn’t know her whatsoever, but this wasn’t your main concern right now. You noticed the once-jovial short skeleton looked...

Upset. Dark. And you were in no position to say no to the offer, as his eye socket began to glow a light blue tint. That was strange.

 

"...Yeah, alright." You gave in, sighing, "Guess I could use a place to crash for a while." Not that you ever slept.

 

* * *

 

_"Hell.. How'd I let that idiotic human slip away? How did they even do that? UGH! Get your shit together, Flowey... You need to do this. You need to do it-_

**_ FOR CHARA." _ **


	2. You're All Wrong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You head to the skeleton brothers' house, while Sans contemplates just what's up with you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi wow ok I actually didn't expect to get that much positive feedback?? Sorry the last chapter was so fast paced but here's a better and longer one thanks nerds  
> also I may rewrite chapter one at some point just so it will better show off the story?? idk

Well. This was new.

Your life had been static for ten years. You sat in the forest all day, looking at the trees and sometimes playing in the snow. You built snowmen, all the stuff you used to do as a kid. It was... Fun. It was so much fun to do things without your parents breathing down your neck. It was so much fun to be alone, finally. As an angsty teenager, you'd liked your solitude. A day home alone was something you welcomed. However, as years passed, it got... Boring. As much as you loved it, you were so bored. Life was the same every day. And now, walking along with these two skeletons, you found yourself rubbing the back of your wispy neck nervously. You hadn't had human contact in years. And while this wasn't exactly human contact, you still felt a nervousness building up in your gut. Or, whatever was there.

You took this time in silence with them to observe them a bit more. The tall one was wearing a cape, and something that looked like your Halloween costume from when you were 13. You'd gone as a soldier. He seemed happy with himself, and walked in a prideful way. He must've thought he was doing you a huge favor, saving you from the chilly forest. In reality, he was just giving you something new to do. The short skeleton, however, was back to his smiling self. He cracked a pun every so often, and he walked with a hunch. Why had he seemed so angry earlier? Maybe it was just the shadow his hoodie cast over his face. But, there was no mistaking that odd, blue glare... You saw no use in questioning it, though. Not like you'd become longterm pals with this dork and the bigger dork.

"SO! MY FRIEND-" The taller skeleton eventually stopped in his tracks, and turned to you. You jumped again, why did he keep scaring you like that. "ALLOW ME TO PROPERLY INTRODUCE MYSELF! I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS, AND THIS IS MY LAZYBONES BROTHER SANS!" The shorter skeleton waved nonchalantly, and you tried your best to force a smile.

"N-nice to meet you two...?" You sounded and felt unsure about that. You still didn't want to be in contact with anyone. You didn't want to deal with anyone.

"hey, kid. you alright? you sound like you don't wanna be here. if you're worried about our house or something, don't worry. we've got a skele-ton of space." Ok, that got a little snort out of you. You'd always loved puns and weird memes as a teenager. You were a huge dork, and you were pretty proud of that title.

"It's-" You bit your lip, "It's not that, don't worry."

"alright. let's keep walking, then."

 

* * *

 

Sans had seen you before. In other timelines. Unlike Frisk and Papyrus and all of his friends, you were not there for every one. But when you were it was always the same story. You were a human looking to get home. No matter what, though, you never left. You always stayed a few years, living with Sans and Papyrus. It'd gotten to the point that whenever he encountered you, he didn't waste any time with introductions and offered you a place to stay. Had to make sure you didn't get into any trouble. This time... This time was different though, he had to admit. He's never discovered you so many years into the timeline, and you'd never been a MONSTER. You'd never looked like that, either. When you grew up, in every timeline, you always wore dorky glasses and heavy sweaters, and you looked like a huge geek. But you looked... So different. Like you didn't even KNOW what you were supposed to look like! It annoyed him a bit, but he pushed that thought away. There were so many differences this time around. He wouldn't dwell on it, though. Someone would reset this timeline in no time at all, and you'd either show up again or you wouldn't. And the next time, you'd look right. It almost made him angry to look at you, to see the person who he desperately cared for look so... Out of place. He cared for you, yes. In many timelines, you were friends. In the rest, you were a couple. Sans found himself completely taken by you. The only issue was, in some timelines, he ran out of time to tell you. And then he had to start over again. He wished you could remember what you looked like. He wished you could remember everything you two shared. But a part of him was done caring. A part of him knew it was no use. You'd be gone again in a week.

* * *

 

The skeleton's house was big, like Sans had said. The couch you'd be sleeping on was so comfortable, moreso than your old bed. It was an alright place, and you had to admit you wouldn't mind staying here just a little while. Something about this place was so familiar. You couldn't place it, but it felt like... Home. The only thing unnerving was that Sans seemed to be hovering around you quite a bit, while Papyrus was off doing sentry work.

"You- uh- need something?" You finally asked after a few minutes. You propped yourself up on the couch to look at him. He didn't look as sullen as he had before, but there was still something about him...

"nah. just making sure you're ok." There was a pause. "so... you're really a monster?" The question caught you off-guard. Was he onto you? He'd just met you, he couldn't possibly already think- "don't look so nervous about it... it's a simple question." His eyes went hollow. You knew taking so long to reply didn't do good for your case. Despite this, you gulped and replied anyways.

"Yeah. Being a ghost is pretty rad. You get to float around and all that cool stuff." His eyes returned to normal, but Sans still appeared fairly unconvinced.

"...whatever you say. get some sleep." You could've sworn you heard a low chuckle.

"you'll need it."


	3. The Birthday Cake with Trick Candles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You have a dream, and wake up pretty shaken-up. Little do you know, your dream was so much more than just a dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i rewrote chapter one before posting this because i just wasn’t happy with how it turned out!! nothing has changed plotwise, it’s just more detailed on reader’s life before death and what happened after their fall. but if you decide not to read it you aren’t missing out on a ton.  
> this chapter is going to showcase one of the timelines sans had with reader before it was reset, and then a bit of late-night angst for reader. and this is the last update for today!! i’ll post one or two more tomorrow  
> also! follow me on tumblr for dank memes and cool updates - christhememequeen.tumblr.com

_I’ve just seen a face -_   
_I can’t forget the time or place where we just met._   
_They’re just the one for me -_   
_And I want all the world to see we’ve met!_   
  
_You were twenty-one. It was your birthday, and today also marked the five-year anniversary of you falling down that hole and moving in with the skeleton brothers. Despite how happy you usually were on your birthday, today seemed… off. Sans’ eyes were hollow. Papyrus was quiet. Everything was so solemn. You couldn’t quite place why, though._   
_You left bed, and went over to Sans, smiling at him. He was sitting on the couch, curled up in some blankets._   
_“Good morning!” You chirped, hoping he’d at least greet you or wish you a happy birthday._   
_But there was no response from the short jokester. No birthday cake with trick candles was on the counter like there always had been. No goofy kisses or whispers from Sans._   
  
_And Sans had good reason to hold back._   
_Twenty-one._   
_The timeline always reset shortly after you turned twenty-one. He’d been so, so happy… And now, his happiness was being ripped away from him._   
_Again._

* * *

  
  
You woke up in a cold sweat, with a gasp. That was the strangest dream… And you had no clue what it’d meant. You’d only known these brothers for one day, so why were you dreaming about them?  
How did you know Sans usually kissed you? How did you know about the cake with trick candles?  
Where was this all coming from-?!  
You clutched your head, groaning in anguish. Your head hurt… It always did this when you tried to recall dreams or old memories. They seemed too far away for you to grasp. You let out another gasp, trying to catch your breath. And then you sobbed.  
Why were you sobbing? Why were you so upset…?  
It was just a dream… Right?  
…  
Why were you lying to Sans and Papyrus? In that dream, you were alive… You were human. They didn’t care.  
...But, no. If they were human hunters, even if they knew you were dead… They’d want your soul. They’d take it.  
  
You didn’t have a lot of time to think on this, before Sans seemed to magically appear in front of you, holding a glass of water. He didn’t look as angry as before.  
  
“hey. you alright?”  
He held out the water to you, and you took it, taking a long drink before nodding in reply to his question. At least, you felt fine… Physically. Mentally… You were so confused. He didn’t want to know that though, did he?  
  
“good. you were writing in your sleep… you looked like you were in a lot of pain. you’d be tuggin’ on my heartstrings here, if i had any.”  
  
You groaned at that. He looked tired, maybe he was too tired to make a decent joke. You wouldn’t get on him about this. “Yeah… Very funny. I’m… I’m fine, I just had a bad dream.” Your hands were shaking, just remembering it.

  
This seemed to interest Sans, as he sat down on the side of the couch. He wanted to hear this. “What was it about…?”  
  
And so you explained. You explained the strange birthday dream, down to every last detail. Sans’ sullen expression. The lack of a birthday cake. Even how you were dressed in the dream. And Sans seemed more and more nervous as you went on. Yet, at the same time… More and more interested.  
After you’d finished, there was a long silence before Sans spoke up.  
  
“...what a weird dream.”  
  
And he left, rushing back to his room.

* * *

  
  
Oh God.  
You were remembering.  
You were remembering!  
Sans was scared and excited and nervous all at the same time. There’d never been a timeline where you actually remembered something! He remembered that day, too… He’d brushed you off, sure you’d be gone soon enough. And you were, you’d disappeared eventually. He thought about just how much more you might be able to remember… And the thought made him giddy. Maybe you’d remember the timeline where the two of you were engaged, or the one where you build snowmen every day-!  
Maybe… Just maybe…  
Maybe if you were remembering, this was finally the end.  
This could finally be the end of resetting, he’d finally never have to lose you ever again!  
Ah… He needed sleep.  
...He was filled with determination.

* * *

 

  
_“...Yes, Chara._   
_I’m making my way to Snowdin._   
_Yes, Chara._   
_I’ll find them._   
_You’ll finally have a body again._   
_...We’ll finally have exactly what we deserve, Chara.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> is there anything in particular you guys want to see happen? any characters you’d like to see? lemme know in the comments yo. i’m open to most anything going on in this story.


	4. Doctor Lizard Woman and the Mystery of the Glowing Human

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Doctor Alphys pays a visit, and your secret is outed. But there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i love writing this fic so much??? thank you guys for all the positive feedback you’re so amazing <3 we’re gonna intro some more characters in this chapter. thanks to superrat626 for the idea of what to do with alphys!

You hadn’t slept the rest of the night. That dream kept you up, tossing and turning. It seemed so vivid and real… And the crazy part was, you could remember it. All of it. After hours, you still knew every little detail. That never happened with your dreams, ever. Something about this place, these people… It filled you with a familiar, warm feeling. You were almost…  
Happy. You were almost happy. You hadn’t been happy since you were alive. But something about Papyrus’s loud declarations and Sans’s puns… They made you feel so comfortable. They made you feel at home.  
Ugh, these feelings were so confusing. Maybe they had therapists in the Underground? You could imagine it now.  
“Yeah, I’m a ghost, I died a while back. Now I’m having feelings for these skeletons I’ve known for literally a day, but it’s always about my past, right?”  
You didn’t mean to say that out loud, but you did. Luckily, nobody was awake to hear your little soliloquy.   
But, just as you were about to dive into another hypothetical speech, there was a knock on the door.  
...A knock on the door? But it was five in the morning! Who would possibly be at the door at this hour… Was this a normal thing for monsters?  
You waited to see if maybe Sans or Papyrus were going to get up and answer it. There was a long wait, and then another knock.  
...Ugh, fine. You walked over to the door and opened it. In front of you was a short, nervous… Lizard woman?   
...Damn, this place was weird, “...Can I help you?”  
The lizard woman stammered for a moment before replying to you, “H-hello! I-I’m- I mean- I- er- is S-Sans home?”  
“He’s asleep.” She seemed more nervous than you originally anticipated, so you decided not to reject her outright, “But I can take you up to him.”  
“...Y-you’re-” She choked on her words, and you stopped her.  
“I’m not human. I’m a ghost monster. See?” You did your little glowy thing, but she just smirked.  
“...Anyone with a brain knows ghost monsters don’t exist.”  
  


* * *

Soon, everyone was awake, and while they chatted away over breakfast, you sat on the couch flipping through channels (you claimed you weren’t too hungry after last night, and Sans believed you). There wasn’t a lot to watch, just some flamboyant robot and then static. Oh, so much static. Why couldn’t you watch your anime or cartoons like you always had at home?  
After a while, though, the conversation had turned to hushed whispering. You wondered what they were talking about, until Papyrus blurted out - “THEY’RE HUMAN?!”  
Oh.  
Oh no.  
You turned around, and sure enough, everyone was staring at you. Sans wasn’t as shocked as Papyrus. You wondered why.  
“SO! HUMAN, YOU’VE BEEN HIDING YOUR IDENTITY FROM US-”  
Before he could finished, the lizard interrupted, “N-not exactly! You see, they… they ARE a ghost. Just a human ghost.”  
At this, Sans froze up, “...a ghost?”  
You gulped before nodding. “...I… I’ve been dead ten years. Some flower killed me…” You paused, looking away, “...If you have to turn me in, now, I understand.”  
“N-no! That’s n-not it…” The doctor offered you a smile, “Quite the opposite! You see, you’re a pure human soul, something I’ve never had the chance to study… It might be possible to put you into a monsterlike body, a-and you can hide in that until we figure out a solution!”  
...She wanted to experiment on you?  
...What the hell, you didn’t have a lot going on in your life anyways. You nodded, and while you and the lizard (you learned her name was Alphys) chatted on about the experiment - which soon switched to a long discussion about anime - nobody noticed Sans slipping back up to his room.

* * *

So you were dead.  
Sans couldn’t say he hadn’t expected a timeline where you died. But he was hoping in it, he’d be happily oblivious to the fact that somewhere, your body was limp, and your soul was taken. While your soul wasn’t taken now… He wasn’t hopeful you’d be able to keep it, with all the danger lurking around. Undyne. Asgore.  
That stupid, stupid FLOWER-  
You weren’t safe. He was actually HOPING for a reset at this point, so maybe the next timeline would be safer. Happier…  
...This couldn’t be the end. No. This wouldn’t be the right ending.  
The perfect ending, Sans had decided, would be the end. And the perfect ending was you being alive and well, the two of you getting married, and Papyrus joining the Royal Guard.  
Perfect. Simple. Not too much to ask, right?  
…  
Sans didn’t like to let himself cry.  
The first few times Papyrus had died, he cried. But soon, he was immune to it.  
But now? Now…  
He couldn’t help it. Blue, glowing tears welled up in his eye sockets.   
He’d lost you.  
He’d LOST you.  
And he wasn’t sure if he could get you back.  
  


* * *

...  
Seven.  
Seven... Human souls.  
Seven human souls.  
And the monsters will be free.  
...And you're standing in their way.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so hey!! i'm starting up a papyrus/reader fic for my friend. i'll probably post the first chapter of that before i post another chapter of this, unless i hit a block.


	5. You Look Perfect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robot bodies and sleepless nights.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you guys are all so nice to me omg. thanks for all the support and sorry for the slight chapter delay, i was finishing up my papyrus/reader fic for my friend. enjoy this trash <3 (also!! someone brought to my attention that there are ghost monsters. let's pretend i didn't mess that up and that alphys meant humanoid ghost monsters oops)

  
You spent most of the day talking to Alphys about the experiments she wanted to do. She asked about things like your interests, and your preferences for a monster body. This gave you a bit of pause, you wanted to still look a little humanoid, but maintain that you were a monster. The doctor suggested you be a robot, and followed up by saying she’d built one before - and he was a huge success! You couldn’t argue with that, and so you agreed. By the end of the day, you were lying on the couch, already thinking up different features you might want to have as a (temporary) robot.   
Your mind eventually drifted back to Sans, and how quickly he’d disappeared earlier. Maybe you should check on him?  
You decided yes, you should, and you made your way upstairs and knocked on his door.  
“...Sans?” Your voice was quiet, you were a little nervous. You hoped he wasn’t upset with you, because, honestly…  
You had some complex feelings brewing in your heart for Sans. Feelings that felt… Familiar. This was strange, as you’d never been in love or even dated before. The feeling shouldn’t be familiar, and yet…  
...There was something very strange about this house and how it made you feel. You needed to ask Sans, you needed to find out what was going on.  
After a few moments you knocked again, “Sans? Buddy? I really need to talk to you.”  
Eventually, the door creaked open, and Sans popped his head out of the room, “what.”  
“I… I need you to answer some questions for me.” You finally blurted out.  
Sans knew this was coming. He knew, eventually, you’d want to know something about what was happening. And so, he opened the door and beckoned you in.  
His room was a mess, but you didn’t mind much. Your room back home used to be this way. Sans shut the door, and sighed, “...ask away.”  
“First off…” You frowned, “Are you alright? You disappeared kind of quickly earlier.”

If he had a heart, that would’ve made it skip a beat. No matter what timeline, if he did something weird, you had to ask him if everything was alright… It usually was, but it still showed you cared, and it always made him fall a little harder for you.  
“i’m alright.” He nodded, dismissing it. “next question.”  
You paused, before finally blurting it out, “W-why does everything here seem so familiar? Why do I feel so close to you and Papyrus? Why did I remember that dream so clearly?”  
Sans froze. You felt close to him. Everything felt familiar… You were remembering. Maybe it was about time he explained… That could help with the memory process.  
“...sit down.” He patted his bed, and you obliged, “i need to tell you a story.”  
  
“a long time ago, i can’t recall just how long, a little kid started coming to snowdin. whenever they appeared, after a few days… things would magically reset. i can’t explain how, or why, but this kid would always reset things, and create different timelines. in some, papyrus would die. in a few, i would die. in some, that kid was the sweetest person i ever met. and in a few -  
you came along. you were always alive, and when i found you, you were always pretty cold and shaken-up. paps and i would always take you home, and sometimes you became our best friend. other times…” He paused, looking up at you for a moment, before averting his eyes, “we… we were lovers. you always told me how much you loved me, even though i always told you i was too fucked up for you to-” He seemed to choke on his own words, “we even got married in one. but it was always the same… it reset. and… i gave up hope that it’d ever be over.” He laughed dryly, before looking up at you.  
“...the body you’ve chosen… that isn’t what you look like when you’re all grown up. you look… normal. cute, and… and i hate that you don’t look like that anymore.”  
  
That was a little shocking to you, and you just stared in awe… and memories started coming back.  
A skeleton engagement ring… Moving into his room. Weekly dinners at Grillby’s…  
...And in all of them, you were very much alive… And you did look different.  
As you saw your old self, your soul started to morph into them… Sans’s face lit up immediately.  
You looked up at him, biting your lip.  
“...Is… this better?”  
He couldn’t help but wrap his arms tightly around you, holding you as close as he could.  
“...It’s perfect.”

****  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i've seen people drawing fanart of some x reader fics?? if anyone does that for this pls link me i will cry


	6. Memory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Memory  
> All alone in the moonlight  
> I can smile at the old days  
> I was beautiful then  
> I remember  
> A time I knew what happiness was  
> Let the memory live again
> 
> \- Memory from CATS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> reasons why this chapter is late  
> \- i received multiple death threats at school yesterday and i was p scared  
> \- my fanfictions had to be removed from ff.net and im p pissed  
> so im really sorry!! stuff was crazy, but stuff is chill now. now here have some story you lil trash nerds   
> (quick mentions of vomiting in this chapter!! if that bothers you pls don’t read)

Things seemed alright… For once, things seemed alright.  
Sans had told you everything, and you were starting to remember. You were starting to understand. It was honestly incredible!  
The only thing that concerned you was the possibility of a reset. Oh man, the idea of all this being reset… Of a timeline where you never actually fell into the underground and met the friends who you cherished so much… The thought terrified you.  
Losing Sans and Papyrus scared you. Not meeting the people who were your friends in other timelines scared you… This whole thing was a mess. And yet, Sans explained the power rested in the hands of one person.  
“good kid, and they’re the only one who can do it, unless that flower gets ahold of seven human souls. but don’t worry bout it.”  
That flower was also something you remembered. In one timeline, he murdered you, in the other… He was friendly? It was confusing, and Sans didn’t know much about the flower either - except that he hated his guts. That, you decided, was completely reasonable.  
You two started up your relationship again, while Doctor Alphys worked on your robot body. You had to admit, things were shaping up really wonderfully.   
But you knew something would go wrong. Something always went horribly wrong, and you couldn’t shake the sinking feeling that at some point, your happiness would be ripped away from you.

Sans got a call in the morning. It was from a woman, and he just nodded to everything she said. He hung up after a short while, before taking your translucent hand in his bony one.  
“hey. come on, we’re going somewhere.” He just said, dragging you along with him.  
“W-wait up!” You weren’t sure what was going on, “Where-?”  
“the ruins.” He glanced over at you, “another human fell down. it’s the one that can reset. gotta make sure they’re good, and if they’re not, i’m gonna stop them. and you need to come with me.”  
You cocked an eyebrow, following behind him, “Why? Why do I have to come?”  
“the human likes you in most of the timelines. they trust you more than me, because you… well, look human.”  
Ah. That made sense, but… You were hardly human anymore. “R-right. Let’s… go then?”  
Sans would usually teleport in times like this, but he wasn’t sure you could handle it. And honestly, he was fine with taking a scenic route with you to the ruins.  
Soon, you were in the forest. Ah, all the memories you’d made here… Not just from this timeline, but others as well.   
“...Remember that time you dared me to climb one of these trees?” You spoke up, looking over at Sans, “You bet me dinner at Grillby’s that I couldn’t. And you were right, I fell out.”  
He laughed, looking back over at you, “i bought you dinner anyways because i felt bad.”  
“And then you drank a whole bottle of ketchup.”  
“and i dared you to drink the mustard.”  
“And I did!” A pause, “Then I went to the bathroom and puked for like, thirty minutes.”  
“that was the best fucking day of my life.”  
You guys laughed about old memories for a while, before reaching the entry to the ruins.  
“...do you remember this place? from other timelines.” Sans asked, clutching your hand tighter.  
You shut your eyes, trying to remember, “...Yeah. A little bit. There’s a nice goat-lady named Toriel in there. She took care of me in a few timelines, but… I didn’t meet her in this one.”  
Sans smiled at you. He was pretty proud you were remembering so much. It’d be a long process, but eventually you’d remember most everything…  
...He froze then. You’d…  
You’d remember the times he had to kill you.  
You’d remember the times you killed Papyrus.  
...You’d remember him hitting you with one final blow, tears in his eyes.  
He always had a hard time doing it. Even if you didn’t remember him, he remembered you. And it hurt.  
“What’s wrong?” You noticed the concern on his face, and kissed his… his… skele-cheek.  
“nothing.” He shook his head, smiling again. “i’m glad you’re remembering. let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what do you guys want done with frisk?? i've got a few ideas and i'd like some advice on what to do here  
> \- frisk is your sibling  
> \- frisk was your best friend in another timeline  
> \- frisk was your child with sans in another timeline
> 
> also if you've got anymore ideas lemme know!!


	7. Welcome to Hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oops.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> imMMM SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG THIS STORY ISNT DEAD I SWEAR OK  
> anyways a majority of you wanted sibling frisk so here

You didn’t know who this person Sans kept talking about was, but something about the way he described them seemed vaguely familiar. You couldn’t put your finger on it, but something was… Something was familiar, and you were going to figure it out. He led you into a big tunnel, and the two of you soon found yourselves in a beautiful home unlike any you’d ever seen before. And standing near the front, waiting for you, was a tall monster that resembled a goat. You believed this was the ‘Toriel’ that Sans was talking about. She smiled at the two of you, beginning to speak.  
“Welcome to my home in the Ruins. I am Toriel, the caretaker of this place.” Her voice was calm and soothing, and you instantly relaxed despite your prior nervousness. Sans’ grip still tightened on your hand, he seemed like he was still nervous. You remembered he explained the child could be… unpredictable as far as timelines went, and so you understood why.  
“tori-” Sans just coughed, looking around, “the kid, are they-”  
“They do not want to fight. But they keep asking about somebody… an older sibling, I think.”  
This made you freeze up. You used to have a younger sibling… You constantly wondered how they were doing, if they’d forgotten you yet. A spark of hope was set off in you, but it quickly faded away. If Sans hadn’t mentioned a familial bond between you and the child in other timelines, why would it only exist now? You missed your sibling all the same.  
Toriel led you into a room, and knocked on the door.  
“My child? Are you awake? You have some visitors.”  
There was a low, tired grumble from the room, and Toriel opened the door. Your heart nearly jumped out of your chest.  
The sight of your sibling, safe, alive… It filled you with determination.  
The child sat up, and their eyes widened at the sight of you.  
“Hey-!”   
They quickly jumped out of bed and ran to you, wrapping their arms tightly around you. You smiled, ruffling their hair.  
“Hey, Frisk… What’s up?”  
Sans and Toriel stared on in awe. Sans was immediately filled with emotions he couldn’t describe. What was this? This had never, ever happened before. You’d never had a family before. FRISK had never had a family before. This was all new… This timeline was so vastly different from the others he’d seen. Things weren’t going terribly… You were dead, but you were happy. He had you… And now, he had Frisk. Wonderful, pacifist Frisk…  
...No. Something bad was going to happen. This was all buildup to a happy ending that would never happen. He couldn’t let himself go soft. He couldn’t let this happen.

* * *

  
You spent the evening with your younger sibling, holding them in your arms, humming to them… They didn’t know you were dead yet. But what did it matter? You were here, they were here… Things were alright.  
Maybe you’d finally get a happy ending. Maybe things would finally be constant. Maybe… Maybe-  
  
 ** _“H E Y . . .  
W H Y ‘ D  Y O U  C O M E  B A C K . . . ?  
T H I S  I S  A  N I C E  S U R P R I S E . . .  
T H E  H U M A N  S O U L . . .  
F I N A L L Y  R E T U R N E D  T O  T H E  R U I N S . . .”_**  
...What the hell?  
What was that voice?  
It was so familiar…   
As you tried to place it, Sans ran out to where you two were sitting, “hey-! you need to get out of he-”  
But it was too late.  
It was much, much too late.  
You felt yourself being pulled into the grasps of an invisible force, and Frisk screamed. Your vision blurred, and you couldn’t make out what anyone was saying anymore. That is, except for one prominent voice in your head.  
 **** _“W E L L  W E L L  W E L L . . ._  
I F  I T  I S N ‘ T  T H E  L I T T L E  G H O S T I E  T H A T  T H O U G H T  T H E Y  C O U L D  G E T  A W A Y !”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lmao yeah it couldnt be fluffy for too long


	8. Broken Souls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You find yourself in a dark room. Again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aLRIGHT LIST OF EXCUSES AS TO WHY I BASICALLY DIED!!  
> \- I got threatened with death.  
> \- I got cheated on.  
> \- I had a downward mental spiral into hell.  
> \- other stuff  
> SO HERE'S THE LONG-AWAITED CHAPTER

Everything was so dark. So painfully, horribly dark. You couldn’t see a thing, and even if you could, you weren’t sure if you wanted to see anything.  
You looked down. Nothing. No hands. No legs. No body.  
You looked up. You seemed to be in a room of some sort, but you couldn’t make out everything in it.  
What happened? What brought you here? You couldn’t remember. Your head (or lack thereof) hurt like when you tried to remember things from previous timelines. You remembered a voice, but that’s about it.  
You hoped Frisk was alright. They had been there with you when it all went down – whatever “it” was.  
Now, what was going on with you? Where had your body gone?  
You were scared.

* * *

  
  
_There was another time, a few years ago, that you were terrified._  
 _Innocent, naive, rebellious you, who thought you could escape your problems by climbing a mountain._  
 _And you fell. You were in a new world. You were horrified._  
 _...Only..._  
 _This wasn’t what had happened in this timeline, was it?_  
 _No. In this memory, you lived when you fell. You were taken in by a nice goat lady... Toriel._  
 _You left and met two skeletons, a strong fish woman, a monster kid, a nervous scientist, a robot--_  
 _And in the end, you stayed Underground. You grew up Underground._  
 _One part of this memory in particular stuck out to you, though._  
 _A big dinner party – it must’ve been around Christmastime. There were lights everywhere, and everyone you knew was there._  
 _You remembered that night. Bumping into Sans under the mistletoe and sneaking a kiss, watching as the monsters unwrapped the gifts you got for them... Watching Frisk’s face light up as they experienced their first happy Christmas._  
 _You remembered Sans sneaking up behind you with a little box._  
 _You remembered him slipping the ring on your finger._  
 _..._  
 _This memory filled you with determination._

* * *

  
  
Sans.  
After reliving that memory a few times, you realized that you didn’t know where Sans was. You didn’t know where anyone was. You only knew you were in this dark room. Alone.  
As you began to reassess the situation, you felt yourself being pulled out of your dark room. And suddenly, you were surrounded by light. There was... an audience in front of you? You soon began to realize the arms lifting you were somewhat metallic. And, looking at the big screen behind you, showing what was being broadcast by the many cameras all around -  
You realized you were just a heart. A red, cracked, misshapen heart. Like when you first died.  
You’d lost your human form.  
And holding you was a robot. The audience cheered as you were shown off, before the robot cleared his (nonexistent) throat to speak.  
“GOOD EVENING BEAUTIES AND GENTLEBEAUTIES! TONIGHT, WE HAVE A REAL TREAT FOR YOU!”  
The audience ooh’d and ahh’d, some even applauded. Were you the treat? You felt almost prideful, until -  
“TONIGHT, I HAVE WITH ME A REAL HUMAN SOUL!”  
Cheers erupted from the crowd.  
“YES, YES! AND WITH THIS SEVENTH AND FINAL HUMAN SOUL -  
MONSTERS WILL FINALLY BE FREED FROM THE UNDERGROUND!”  
Huh? You were going to free the monsters? That didn’t sound so bad, right?  
“CAN YOU HEAR ME, HUMAN?” The robot cackled, “YOUR SACRIFICE MEANS THE WORLD TO US!”  
...Your sacrifice?  
“YES, YES. I’M SO PLEASED THAT WE FOUND THAT PATHETIC FLOWER WITH YOUR SOUL!”  
Flower? Why didn’t the flower who killed you just take your soul? He didn’t seem like he’d go down without a fight... You had a few questions, but you were mostly concerned about that “sacrifice” thing.  
“WITH ALL THE HUMAN SOULS -  
WE’LL BE FREE! FREE TO TAKE BACK THE WORLD FROM THE HUMANS WHO WRONGED US!”  
...So was this it?  
You couldn’t move. You couldn’t do anything.  
Nobody you knew was anywhere in sight.  
Had they forgotten about you? You weren’t sure.  
...You didn’t want to accept this fate, but you had no choice.  
You just had to hope for another reset.  
You turned away, not wanting to see what was about to happen to you.  
You silently accepted your fate. You prepared for the worst, and...  
“HEY, METTATON!”  
A familiar, Skeletor-esque voice came from the distance.  
“PUT THE HUMAN DOWN THIS INSTANT!”

 

  
  



	9. Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After 500 years, this story comes back from hiatus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew!  
> I hit writer's block, and this (and my other fics) took much longer than expected. I'm back though! Hopefully for a while.  
> As always, there's a mirror to this on my deviantART - http://christhememequeen.deviantart.com/  
> And hey! I finally got my first fanart for this series. I'm gonna cry omg ;;; http://catwallader.deviantart.com/art/Delilah-583510766 wowie  
> ok well!! expect more updates soon, as well as a possible grillby or gaster x reader fic. thanks guys!

You’re elated.  
There you were, accepting death, when suddenly, Papyrus - Master Chef Papyrus - ran in with the whole squad in tow.  
You couldn’t be happier. You tried to move, but were pinned down again by Mettaton, who snarled at the skeleton quickly approaching.  
“P-Papy, darling, what’s this now? I wasn’t expecting visitors.”  
“METTATON, YOU CAN’T!” Being pinned down, you couldn’t see him well, but he sounded distraught, “THIS HUMAN IS A FRIEND!”  
“A friend?” The robot laughed, letting go of you.  
“You think this pathetic being - the one keeping us from going to the surface - you think they’re A FRIEND?” Mettaton huffed, wheeling over to Papyrus. Your eyes caught a switch on his back.  
Would that turn him off? You had to hope so, you were running out of options. You started to stand up, quietly. Nobody’s attention was on you at this point.  
And so, as the robot and skeleton continued to argue -  
You flipped the switch.  
In a matter of moments, smoke filled the room and the lights flashed off. You were left in total darkness. Often times, you hated admitting your own fear.  
...But the moment a passionate “oh yeah” came from the smoke, you could honestly say you were fucking terrified.  
When the smoke cleared, a humanoid robot you could only assume was Mettaton stood in place of the clanky rectangle.  
...This was what that switch did?!  
“Ah~ Thank you for flipping my switch, darling.” Mettaton started to stretch out, turning to you.  
“You’ve been a big help… Really. Let me repay the favor~” He cackled, pulling out his MTT-Brand Chainsaw once more. You felt your heart stop.  
As Mettaton started to come towards you, you shut your eyes, before you felt a body in front of you. One not made of metal, but…  
Bones?  
“METTATON! PLEASE, STOP!” Papyrus was pleading at this point, he looked like he might cry. Seeing Papyrus like this seemed to register with Mettaton for a moment, before he scoffed.  
“What good is this human doing for you?”  
“THIS HUMAN HAS MADE MY BROTHER VERY HAPPY!” His face lights up with passion, “AND ME, TOO! AND THE TINY HUMAN!”  
As Papyrus begins his long speech, which eventually turns to your appreciation of spaghetti, you take the time to flee through the curtains. There’s a back door in this place, and you dash out it.  
You oddly enough, find yourself in Alphys’ lab.  
“O-Oh!” Well, there’s the geeky scientist yourself.  
“W-Were you on Mettaton’s show? H-How’d that g-go?”


	10. A Few Months Later...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few months later, things seem alright. For once in your crazy life (or death).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did a timeskip! Sorry for the delay, but rest assured I'm still alive.

It’d been maybe a few months since the fateful day you fell into the Underground. Since the day you met Sans, since the day you fell in love with him all over again. Your memories still had not completely returned - Sans said they probably never would. But things had been oddly calm since your altercation with Mettaton. He’d sent his apologies after being chastised by Alphys, and you once again went into hiding. Monsters soon forgot about the human SOUL - assuming that Asgore had taken it.  
He hadn’t. And he was the only one still looking for you. He wanted a way out of the Underground, and you were that way. You, or Frisk, anyways.  
Ah, Frisk. It was wonderful to have them back in your life. They’d moved in with you and Sans to be closer to you. The day you explained to them your death was painful and tearful, but they soon came to love and accept their ghostly sibling. And things with Sans… had been more than incredible. You’d spend days in Waterfall, looking at the falls and playing with the echo flowers. You’d spend some days in Snowdin, making snowmen and laughing. Everything was perfect…  
Alphys had continued progress on your android body. Every time you looked at it, it looked more and more like your old self. The artificial skin was soft, the eyes were bright, the lips were smooth… She was making sure your every feature was correct. You didn’t mind that it was taking months to complete, it was truly a masterpiece. And while she made it, you had time to talk with her, get to know her. You’d spend late nights watching anime and talking about her girlfriend - head of the Royal Guard. Due to the fact that she was, well, head of the Royal Guard, you’d never meet her. But she sounded like a wonderful person, and she made Alphys incredibly happy.  
Occasionally, you’d think about your mother, and how she was doing without you or Frisk. You were sure that she’d be fine without you, she didn’t much like parenting anyways. Still, you worried about the woman, even if she’d never been the nicest to you.  
Seasons didn’t change in the Underground. Snowdin stayed snowy all year round, and as what would usually be fall approached, you found yourself missing the crinkle of leaves beneath your feet and the cool, but not too cold wind in your hair. Today, though, you hear the crunch of snow under your boots and the chill of winter in your soul. You were walking home from the shop with Cinnamon Bunnies for your -  
\- your family. Sans and Papyrus were essentially your family now. Papyrus was like an older brother, and Sans…  
Sans was the love of your life. You were completely convinced of this.  
You were no longer scared. Everyone seemed to be on your side, more or less. Things were going your way. You entered your house, poking your head in.  
“Hello? Anyone there?”

“yo.”  
Your boyfriend walked up to you and gave you a tiny skele-kiss on the cheek, “paps and frisk went out to have a snowball fight. need a hand?”  
He took the bag from your arms and set it on the counter, while you collapsed on the couch, throwing off your coat and snow-covered boots.  
“Has it always been this cold here?” You groaned, pulling the short skeleton on top of you once he came back over to the couch.  
“yeah babe. always been this cold.” He laughed and wrapped his arms around you, “anyways, how’s a nice dinner tonight sound, huh? i’ll take you somewhere nice.”  
“What’s the occasion?” You gave him a little smile.  
“just dress nice. it’s very special.”


End file.
